Family
by ShadowLi19
Summary: Dib's older sister comes home. But new discoveries leads to destruction. ZD
1. Chapter 1

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Prologue

_If you are reading this, than I suppose it implies that I am dead an therefore unable to tell you two this in person._

_You have no ties to the former planet Earth. I believe it now is known as Escapia, and had formerly been the home to the extinct race of beings known as humans. You should know that you have no relations to the extinct race, and therefore should have no worries about the violence and idiocy that had caused the race to self-destruct._

_I only wish the two of you to know that you carry with you the brilliance of the genetics that were created through-out the Milky Way solar system._

_The tale you carry in your make-up is one that should be passed for generations._


	2. Chapter 2

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter One

Swollen Eyeball was still refusing to allow his calls. So here Dib sat, leafing through a book idly while waiting for anyone to come home. Or the phone to ring... or anything, for that matter. At this point he really didn't care. He was free from Skool for the rest of his life, and he had all the time he needed..

It was just that Dib was impatient.

As he turned his gaze to the phone, his hand twitched as if wanting to dial a number. Any number. It didn't even have to be real, as long there was someone on the other line.

Yes. Dib ws highly impatient.

And as the phone rang, he snatched it up without even looking at the caller id.

"Hello?" He asked, hoping that it wasn't a salesperson... then again, maybe he could get some fun out of torturing a poor, unsupecting stranger right now...

"Hiya little bro!" And it was only then that he started to wish he had bothered to check the caller id.

"D... Deed?" He asked, quietly, checking the shades infront of the window as if he'd be able to see someone standing across the street with a phone. Or someone in a big, goverment agent suit coming to knock on the door and ask for the eldest Membrane child.

"Yep, Dibbers! And guess what, I'm coming home!"

"Really?" Dib's voice was shakey. What would their father do if he found out? If Dib was his 'poor insane son' than Deed was...

"Hey, Dib, you ok? Look, I promise, it's not going to be anything like last time, ok?" Last time. Dib desperately tried to dig up the forgotten memory.

Yes, last time had involved lots of smoke. And lots and lots of yelling and screaming. And then came the paramedics and the straight jackets...

"Hey, Deed, are you sure about this?" He asked, wondering what she'd done to get out this time.

"Sure? Of course... Dib, where do you think I've been?" He swallowed, spewing out the answer without a moment's hesitation.

"The Asylum?" Laughter came from the other end of the line.

"Oh, Hell no! Dib, I haven't been there for five years! I just graduated from college!" Letting out a breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding, Dib smiled slightly.

"So, uh... when are you getting here?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the sudden bit of static on the phone.

"Uh, I should be there... I'd say right about..." Dib's door opened just as the phone clicked back to the dial tone. "Now."

Dib screamed, jumping as he turned to look at his older sibling. Deed laughed.

There were, or course, questions as to how Gaz got her purple hair, since Dib couldn't entirely remember if their mother had had the same hair or not. But Deen, standing in his door way with a shaggy mass of black hair, and dark rimmed hazel eyes, Dib was almost tempted to say Gaz had been adopted.

"Man, Dibby, you haven't changed a bit!" Deed laughed, shaking her head. Dib growled to himself, standing up off the bed.

"Correction, I've grown alot since the last time you were here." Deen raised an eyebrow.

"Impressive, you're what, six foot two now? You're starting to catch up to the professor." Dib was reminded of the girl's hatred for their father, and winced slightly.

"Deed, are you sure you want to be here now? I mean... If dad comes home, then what?" Deed snorted, pressing her hands to her hips as she stared at Dib from her full stature of five foot three.

Somehow, to Dib, seeing her like this was still intimidating.

"Nice to see your eighteen and still a virgin, Dib." Deed rolled her eyes. Something caught her attention, and she walked towards it.

"Dib, where did you get this?" Dib looked to her hands, taking not that the object was nothing more than a flag Zim had tried to stick in his head one time.

"Alien down the street... why?" It was strange, seeing the way Deed held the red cloth... almost as if it frightened her.

"Show me, Dib." When he opened his mouth to protest, she spun on him and screamed. "Now!"

* * *

Zim was not happy to be stuck with GIR for extended intervals of time. Nor was he happy that the little robot had gotten out his guidence chip... again.

However, when the doorbell rang, Zim did not expect himself to jump up and almost race to the door to answer it.

Nor did he expect who was on the other side.

"Filthy stink beast! What do you want?" He asked, opening the door wide as he realised that it was only Dib on the other side of the door. No big deal.

Then his flag was shoved into his face, and he lowered his gaze to a short female.

Zim, who stood almost more than a foot above eye to eye with Dib, raised an antenae.

"Irken, I demand to know what you are doing on this planet!" The female growled out, and Zim looked to Dib.

"Friend of yours?" Dib sighed, and Zim chuckled to himself.

"HIYA!" GIR exclaimed, attaching himself to the shortest lifeform's leg. Deed blinked several times before realisation dawned in her eyes.

She scooped up GIR, shoving pass Zim as she inspected the robot.

"He's missing his guidence chip." Deed stated, looking at Zim as if he were a dead-beat father. Dib winced slightly as he recognised it as the same look she'd always given their father.

"Uh... excuse me, but would you mind telling me WHY THE HELL YOU ARE IN MY HOUSE?" Zim screamed, but was ignored by Deed as she inspected the slot where the missing chip was supposed to go.

"When was the last time you got upgrades? I know someone who can do it for a fair price, but..." Deed trailed off, seeing the look on the boy's faces. "Umm.. hello?"

"Deed, this is Zim. In case you haven't guessed, this is my sister, Deed." Dib sighed, closing the door behind him and watching his sister. He still understand what had her so freaked out over the Invader military symbol.


	3. Chapter 3

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Two

"So, how exactly do you two know eachother?" Deed asked, raising an eyebrow as she continued inspecting GIR. Dib looked at her, peeking over her shoulder as she popped open GIR's control unit.

"School." Dib replied automatically, Zim looked to the shortest lifeform with rising curiousity.

"Strange..." She muttered, and Zim raised an antenna. "What?"

"The battery... has he ever charged?" Deed asked, looking to Zim. The alien thought for a second, then shook his head.

"Why?" Dib asked, looking for what his sister had found.

"The battery is dead... yet he's still running..." Deed shook her head, looking up to a surprised Zim.

"He's going to need some new parts, too. I know this might be a little personal for you, but can I use your computer?" Zim opened his mouth to reply, ready to tell the woman off for taking it apon herself to inspect his SIR unit.

"SUUUURRRRE!" GIR's head snapped up, and he grabbed Deed's hand and dragged her out of the room.

Dib looked to Zim's angry face.

"Maybe we should keep an eye on them?" He asked. Zim glared at him.

"You only want to see the computer." With an innocent grin from Dib, the alien rolled his eyes and started walking.

* * *

Tak growled, tossing aside a broken booster as she answered the call.

"Yo Takky!" Deed's face appeared on the screen, and Tak groaned.

"I thought I got rid of you!" Deed frowned, cocking her head to the side. GIR was perched on her shoulder.

"But Tak, don't forget who you owe a favor too." Deed's eyes went from fasle innocence to sadism. "And don't forget what I can do to you."

MiMi crawled un onto Tak's head, looking at Deed for a moment before smiling.

"I trust MiMi's alternations are still operating?" Deed asked, and Tak sighed.

"Of course they are still operating. What do you want, Membrane?" Deed's face turned dark at the sound of her last name.

"I _want_ my father to drop dead. I _need_ a 650 cal battery, perferably _charged_. And a standard SIR unit guidence duct." Deed stated, glaring at Tak warningly over the screen. Tak frowned as she looked at GIR.

"I'll see what I can do." Tak sighed, and Deed smiled at her.

"Thank you, Tak."

"Yeah, yeah." Tak cut the communication as Zim and Dib approached Deed.

"How did you do that?" Dib asked, looking at her then at the screen.

Zim continued to glare at her, wondering faintly how she knew the insane invader.

"She owed me a favor. I did a few alternations on her SIR unit when she came... I believe it was after your mock-mission, Zim."

"Hn." Zim growled, looking at Deed. "Thanks to you, this planet almost became the next Foodcourtia."

"Hey... Deed, what had you so freaked out about the Invader symbol, anyway?" Dib asked. Zim looked to her in curoisity.

Deed growled, glaring at them for a moment.

"It's of no importance. It just... surprised me to see that in your room, Dib." Deed stated, and Dib nodded.

"I think we should be getting home. I doubt Gaz would glad to hear that I dragged you off as soon as I got back." Dib nodded, then remembered their father.

"Zim." He called softly as Deed started up the stairs. The alien turned to him with a scowl, arms crossed.

"What?" Dib shoved his hands in his pockets, and Zim wondered faintly how he could still stand to wear his trench, even in the heat of summer that they had previously left behind.

"The phone is still hooked up, right?" Dib asked, and Zim raised an antenna as he nodded. "I just wanted to know so that if anything happens I can call here. I mean, Deed and dad aren't particularly close, ya know?"

Zim nodded, dropping his arms.

"You know that if anything happens, my door is always open." Zim said, and Dib nodded, laughing softly.

"Just checking to make sure the offer hadn't expired."

* * *

Dib's eyes opened as he heard Professor Membrane and Deed having a screaming match downstairs. He eyed the clock absently.

'Wow, a record, usually it takes them at least two hours.' He thought bitterly. He and Deed had come home after their father and Gaz had ate dinner. Gaz, having summerschool, had gone to bed already. And Dib had grabbed a shower and done the same.

That had been a half hour ago.

Dib sat up as his sister stalked into his room, slamming the door behind her. She seethed before looking at him. Her expression changed as she rasied an eyebrow.

"It ok if I bunk with you?" Dib nodded, and as Deed stepped forward she grinned.

"Have a nice dream, Dib?" Dib blushed, getting up to change his boxers and tearing the sheets from his bed. "Any chance it had something to do with a certain green alien?"

Dib's blush deepened, and Deed giggled madly. Dib had to remind himself that his sister was bisexual before he allowed the thought of her laughing at his sexuality. She had absolutely no room to be laughing.

"Cram it!" Dib growled, tossing a pillow at her. Deed smiled, calming her laughter.

"So what got it started between you two?" Deed asked softly, and Dib froze at the tone of her voice.

That wasn't a tone she used when she wanted information. It was a tone she used when she was genuinely curious.

"Uh... How..?" Deed smiled softly, indicating to the ring that Dib had on a chain around his neck.

"Normal people don't normally wear a promise ring with an Irken symbol on it." Cursing his sister's eye for detail, Dib began to play with the ring.

"We got stuck in a storm after school one time. He forgot to take precautions, and... well..." Dib looked away from his sister. She smiled, shaking her head.

"Nice to know that old trench comes in handy for something." Dib nodded, and Deed lay down next to him, streching her arms above her head.

"You need a new one, by the way. That thing fit you back when we were still the same height." Dib nodded, looking at her for a moment.

Deed hadn't changed much since he'd last seen her. Quick, analyzing eyes hadn't changed at all and her hair was still the same shaggy mob she had cut into when she had told their father that she couldn't stand him anymore. The classic Membrane over-gelled look had been lost from her hair that night.

But her body, while having always been lean, had proportioned itself. While Deed had been a big boobed, stick hipped teen, now her hips had widened a bit, almost matching her breasts.

Dib noticed faintly that the scars on his sister's arms were more evident. He absently rubbed his left arm, refusing to tell the one person who would have understood.

Rolling over and grabbing the phone from the bedside table, Dib punched in a number. He almost laughed as the sound of the half asleep alien on the other end met his ears.

"What is it, Dib?"

"I'm going to bring Deed over there tomorrow. She needs to stay until I can get dad's storage out off her old room.. or until we can find an apartment."


	4. Chapter 4

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Three

"Why do you want me to go to your boyfriends?" Deed asked as Dib hung up the phone. He looked at her for a moment.

"Because I don't want a repeat of last time." Dib said softly. Deed rolled onto her side so she could face him.

"Repeat of last time?" She whispered, thinking back to how her last trip home had started. Then it dawned on her. "You mean mom, don't you?"

Dib nodded, rolling onto his back. It wasn't an easy thing to talk about. Especially since Dib had never gotten the chance to even remember his mother's face.

"How much do you remember?"

"Not much, just... just Dad beating on her, and then the top news the next day covering a death." Dib said softly. Deed let out a shuddering sigh.

"He did beat on her. That last night, she'd been pregnant. She was rushed to the hospital, bleeding from where her head had caved in and going into labour." Dib looked at her, trying to remember something more.

"The baby had a fifty percent chance of survival, but mom... mom ended up dying. Soon the baby did too. And it was all his fault." Deed whispered, clutching the clean bedsheets as she strained to draw these things from her childhood memories.

"I'd only been nine at the time, Dib. You were four, and..." Deed trailed off, knowing that her brother's memory was limited. The most he could really remember were the things that still did to that day. Like his paranormal intrests.

"And what?" Dib pressed gently, looking at her. Deed swallowed almost convulsively. She hadn't been a Membrane for close to ten years...

She hadn't seen her brother for close to ten years.

To her, Dib and Gaz was the only flesh she truely had. And realising that she'd been away for so long was killing her.

"Nevermind that. I've already told this to you several times. You need sleep." Deed commanded, staring at her brother. He nodded, closing his eyes.

When his breathing rythmed out and Deed was positive that he was really asleep, she turned over and glared at the dark ceiling.

Their so called father had abused their mother, killing her and managing to avoid prison by using his children.

'But you don't understand! My eldest, she'd crazy! And we have her on so much medication! And my son, he's in counceling! They are both crazy and they won't go to anyone but me!'

She laughed at her father's excuse, remembering clearly how the doctor had looked and her and Dib.

Then Professor Membrane had started with her parasomnia. She had been rejecting the treatment... and she still was, Deed remembered as she touched one of the bags under her eyes.

She'd been staying awake in order to reduce the chances of another violent night.

She remembered back to when her mother was there to calm her in those nights.

And she relived her mother's fear when she found that Dib had hypomania.

"What is it with this family and disorders?" Deed asked, closing her eyes for a moment.

Eyeing the phone that Dib had clutched in his hands, Deed sighed.

"Again... what is it with this family?" She whispered, remembering how she had been told that Gaz was a bisexual.

Deed looked at her brother's sleeping face, then got an idea. Placing a hand on her brother's head, she closed her eyes and uttered a small spell.

_Dib was pinned to the ground, two mechanical legs piercing the flesh of his palms, crying out as Zim drove deeper into him. _

Deed grinned to herself, making a note to ask Zim about this later.

Maybe, just maybe, she'd been wrong about her brother's virginity after all.

Crawling off the bed, Deed curled up on the floor.

The least she needed was to give Dib and herself a few bruises while she was sleeping. Or to wake up sticky from her brother's wet dream.

That was when her cellphone rang.

"Dammit, Darian, this had better be good!" She hissed into the phone, waiting for the man on the other end to respond.

"Deed... ummm... I guess I could have waited for morning..." The nervous man on the other end stumbled over his words, and Deed let out a growl.

"Ok! I got someone to run the tests, and... well... Profeesor Membrane only has one biological child." Deed's eyes snapped open, sitting up and staring at her brother.

"Any idea which one of us it is?" Deed's breath hitched. She watch's Dib's chest rise and fall as she waited for someone to speak.

"The youngest... " Swallowing thickly, Deed snapped her phone closed.

'So we're experiments..' Deed thought, closing her eyes and fighting back tears as she clutched the carpet. She reached up, almost ready to wake her brother before deciding against it.

Pulling at her hair loosely, she decided to take it up with Professor Membrane when she had the chance.

An idea striking her, she pulled out her cellphone and typed in the number that had called her.

"Darian, find out who exactly Professor Membrane is." She demanded.

"Yes ma'am!"


	5. Chapter 5

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Nor do I own any music in these chapters.

Chapter Four

Dib was singing under his breath. Deed wasn't even sure if he realised it, but as she listened tentively, she recognised the song.

_I never thought I'd change my opinion again_

_But you moved me in a way that I've never known_

_You moved me in a way that I've never known_

_But straight away you just moved into position again_

_You abused me in a way that I've never known_

_You abused me in a way that I've never known_

_So break me, shake me, had me, take me over_

_When the madness stops then you will be alone_

_Just break me, shake me, hate me, take me over_

_When the madness stops then you will be alone_

She smiled to herself. Her baby brother looked at her for a moment before tugging one of the earphones off.

"Something wrong?" Deed shook her head, and Dib went back to his music. Turning her full attention on the road, Deed conjured the song in her head.

_So your the kind that deals with the games in the mind_

_Well you confuse me in a way that I've never known_

_You confuse me in a way that I've never known_

_So break me, shake me, hate me, take me over_

_When the madness stops then you will be alone_

_Just break me, shake me, hate me, take me over_

_When the madness stops the you will be alone_

_She says, "I can help you, but what do you say?"_

_But it's not for free baby, you'll have to pay_

_You just keep me contemplating, that you soul is slowly fading_

_God don't you know that I live with a ton of regret?_

Pulling into the parking lot of the mall, Deed reached over to jolt her brother out of his music. She paused, looking at his hands for a moment. His finger traced out something on her leather interior. As Deed's eyes followed the curves carefully, she pieced it togather in her mind.

Zim.

She shook her head, pushing hair out of her eyes. Yes, her brother definatly had it bad.

"So, kiddo, you ever considered contacts?" Dib looked at her, shook his head, and unbuckled his seatbelt.

Deed nodded, having a personal hatred for the small, easy to loose lenses.

Not that she needed glasses or anything.

* * *

Dib and Deed were both sucking on frozen coffees when Deed pulled up infront of Zim's house.

GIR was in the front yard, sucking on a Brain Freezie and watching for them.

Zim had opened the door when he saw the black car pull up, thinking for a moment that it might have been the Earth Goverment.

He was fairly surprised, however, to see Dib and Deed get out of the car.

"Took you long enough." Zim said, wondering faintly when the siblings were drinking. Deed walked pass him, into the house, toting only a dufflebag. She tossed to the keys to Dib over Zim's head.

"You put so much as a scratch on my baby, Dib, and I will flay you alive and pour salt onto ever square inch of your body." Dib nodded, rolling his eyes at the threat. He smiled up at Zim, taking a sip of the frozen coffee before offering it to him.

Zim reached forward and grabbed Dib's wrist, pulling him towards him and kissing him.

Dib, realising what he was doing, simply opened his mouth to the wire-like tounge.

"You couldn't have just taken my drink?" Dib asked as Zim let him go. The alien grinned down at him.

"Never. Besides, why should I when it tastes better coming from your mouth?" Dib blushed, looking away from him.

Deed swallowed a gall of laughter behind them, shaking her head as she settled herself down on the couch.

There really was no harm in her brother being so attached to the alien... For now, at least.

'Let's just hope that Dib never wants this planet burnt to hell.'

As her phone vibrated, Deed checked her messages.

'Then again maybe it wouldn't be that bad.'


	6. Chapter 6

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Five

It was five in the morning before Deed stopped getting the busy signal from Darian's home phone.

"Sorry about that, my sister kind of..." At Deed's silence, Darian cleared his throat.

"Uh... yeah... As I said, I got the results. Professor Membrane, while having almost no background file, was born around the same time the last known demon disappeared." Deed nodded her head, having studied the case several times over.

"So what, you think he's a demon?" Deed asked, picking at a hangnail on her ring finger with her thumb.

"I think it's possible that he's either a demon or was born at the same time of the last report." Deed nodded, considering this for a moment. That demon had been a reject, accepted by noone. There had been suspicions of it still hanging around.

Swollen Eyeball hadn't believed the case, of course. They'd brushed it off as a loon that had finally died.

She clipped her phone shut, walking out of Zim's house and walking the short distance home.

* * *

Professor Membrane woke up to someone calling his name.

Deed stood above him, white hot rage burning in her eyes.

"So Dib and I are just your experiments, huh?" She hissed, and Membrane's eyes widened.

"And faulty ones at that!" He spat at her, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I've been rejected from Heaven and Hell, forced to live on this poor plane of existance for as long as it takes me to repent." Membrane laughed, and Deed frowned.

"So you've decided to subject Dib and I to the same fate, huh?" She sneered. Membrane fought down the sudden wave of panic surging through him.

"Too bad we've found a way around it, dumbass. Or do you not remember Dibby's little accident?" Deed snarled, remembering all too clearly the site of her brother's dead body on the middle of his floor.

It had taken three times the normal amount of electricity that it took a normal human. They had overlooked it at the time.

"Accident? I was trying to take apart his genetic stucture!" Membrane laughed, only to be punched in the gut by the child he'd created.

"We'll just have to see if you've repented enough yet." Deed spat down at him.

* * *

Zim stared at Deed as she dragged her father into the lab. She strapped him down onto a table.

"Zim... I'm going to bring Dib here. Do not touch him, you understand?"

"Why?" Zim questioned, and Deed sighed.

"Because he's not our father. We're just his fucking science project."

* * *

"Dib come on." Deed said, pulling her brother into the car with her.

She had already moved Professor Membrane to Zim's base, and he was fastened down onto the operating table.

Dib looked at her, curious as she pulled out of the driveway.

"What's this about?" Dib asked, turning off his cd player. Deed sighed, debating wether to tell him here or with Zim... But she'd already told Zim...

"Dib, do you know how sometimes a person can think that someone is their parent, but they really aren't?" Deed asked softly. Dib stared at her, nodding his head.

Deed pulled up infront of Zim's house, looking at her brother.

"Well, we're not Membrane's children... we were his experiment, and we are our own kind... we'll outlive this planet..." Deed said slowly, letting it sink in to her brother's mind. Dib stared at her blankly for a second before beginning to ask a question and thinking better of it.

Anger bred through the confusion, and Dib fisted a hand as he got out of the car.

"That bastard! I'll kill him!" Deed nodded, glad that she had brought out the sadistic side to her brother. That was what her plan needed.

And Dib began to plan their creator's death with glee as the elevator lowered.


	7. Chapter 7

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Note: I realised that I never mentioned anything about Zim eating Earth food. He's been there for the better part of eight or nine years. Kinda makes sense that he'd build up an immunity to the food.

Chapter Six

Zim watched with a crude fascination as Professor Membrane was flayed open like a frog in a school lab. The man's screams were muffled by the cloth that had been tied around his mouth, and Dib pouted when he realized that the bastard had something to bite down on.

So he removed the cloth. From there the Professor had started to bite his tounge.

It only took him a few moments to drown in his own blood.

Deed smiled as she watched her brother. Of course, she had fantasized about the man being killed for years. But to see her only flesh do so was... Deed closed her eyes as she recognised that she was proud of Dib.

* * *

Dib was cleaning up while Deed made coffee. Zim watched her work with mild interest.

"So how did you know that I was Irken?" He asked. Deed didn't look up from what she was doing.

"I've seen that symbol before. That, and Dib had been trying to convince the Swollen Eyeball that there was an alien in the neighborhood. I put two and two togather, and..." The smell of the caffiene filled the room as it ran through.

"Don't tell Dib I know about the S.E.N., ok?" Deed asked, turning to look at the alien. "It's not entirely safe for anyone if they were to find out I was here."

Nodding absently, Zim turned towards the entrance to the kitchen as Dib walked in.

Towel around his neck, Dib had exchanged his clothes for a pair of jeans... no doubtedly Zim's, Deed noted, seeing as how hers wouldn't have fit him. And a black, long sleeved shirt that had the Irken military symbol emblasoned on it in red.

Rolling her eyes, Deed went back to her caffiene.

* * *

"Darian, what the hell do you mean 'they know where you are'?" Deed almost shrieked into the phone. She heard Darian swallow nervously.

"Deed, hun, you have to understand! I didn't tell them anything at all!" She huffed.

Yeah right. He probably told them right where she was to cover his own ass.

It was how Darian 'Ninja Monkey' Thebes operated. It was wrong of her to even consider that he would be trustworthy to her.

Despite the fact that they had been friends throughout school, Darian had always been one to lie.

And when she'd gotten kicked out of the S.E.N., he'd offered to do as much as possible for her.

But the Network's threats of killing her if she hacked into their information had finally sunk into him.

"Deed, please!" Was the last thing she heard before clipping her phone shut and sobbing silently to herself.

* * *

Dib sat up in the middle of the night, taking a second to register that he was in Zim's livingroom. Deciding that he needed to go home and get some clothes of his own, he got up and stumbled out the door.

He never thought to leave Zim a note. Just thought that everyone would be asleep.

By the time he got home, however, he realised that Gaz was very much awake.

"Where's dad?" She questioned, following him into his room. "And why are you packing?"

Attempting to ignore her for a moment, Dib grabbed a duffle bag and emptied out a few drawers of clothes.

"I'm packing because I'm going to stay with Zim for a while to help Deed look for an apartment. As for dad, I have no clue. Maybe he had to go to work." Dib said, not turning to look at her.

Gaz frowned.

"You're lying, Dib. I saw him leave with Deed this morning. And I saw you go with her too." Gaz glared at him. Dib shook his head, walking pass her and shouldering his bag.

"I didn't see him."

"I'll get to the bottem of this Dib. You know I will." Gaz hissed. Dib left the house, fingering the pocket knife that he'd grabbed up when he'd been emptying a drawer.

Truth was, he saw Membrane. His saw his flayed corpse everywhere he looked.

The man was haunting him. And nothing short of death would stop it.

Sitting down in the snow infront of Zim's house, Dib intended to do just that.

And GIR was the one that found him. The one that screamed for Deed and Zim to come out.

Dib knew that they would probably never forgive him for such a stupid stunt.

But laying in the blood soaked snow, Dib couldn't care less.


	8. Chapter 8

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Seven

"Idiot!" Deed sobbed as Dib twitched slightly. She curled up agaist his side, half covering him from the world as the fresh bandages held back the bleeding.

Dib wasn't supposed to follow her example. He was supposed to be Dib. Supposed to be the crazy teenager chasing his dreams... Supposed to be what Deed had given up on long ago.

Zim could only sit there, broken look on his face as he kept an eye on Dib for any sign of the boy stirring.

When GIR popped into the room, he was playing with a pocket knife.

"I found this with Dibby!" GIR exclaimed, holding it out to Zim.

Flipping it open, Zim's eyes widened in horror.

"Deed... it's... it's rusted..." Deed's head shot up.

"We need antibiotics. Tell me you have antibiotics!" She hissed, grabbing the collar of his shirt as she rolled off of her brother in one fluid motion.

Zim nodded, getting up and playing with the machine that was hooked up to Dib for a moment. Deed took in a long, shuddering breath.

'I hope we're not too late..' She thought, looking at the prone form on the table. She remembered when she had used a rusty blade one time. Luckily they had caught it before the infection began to take hold, but she'd still had to take so many shots...

But they had all been antis. Under her father's order, they had not given her a single shot for tetnus.

Silently, she hoped and prayed that it was due to their genetics.

* * *

Dib felt like shit. Not only that, but he was freezing.

Zim looked down at him sympatheticly. And it was onlythen that Dib realised Deed was talking.

Turning to her, he opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but instead said something completely different.

"Can we burn this place to Hell, now?" Deed stopped, staring at him fondly.

"Of course. And I have the perfect idea." Dib nodded, knowing that his sister was one of the most morbid minds out there.

After all, she had once believed that bio-war was a way of life.

"I'll get started on it right away... oh! This is going to be perfect... I wonder, should I design it to take out Irkens as well, incase they come here?" Deed asked, looking at a confused Zim.

"Wha-?"

"A virus, Zim." Dib said, shaking his head and stopping as it made him dizzy. Zim shrugged, nodding slightly.

"You, little brother, are to stay right where you are. You have a fever." Deed said, walking out of the room.

Dib closed his eyes again, reveling the darkness. He fell asleep as he felt Zim's head on his chest, right over his heart.

* * *

"I regret to inform you, again,that you and those related to you have been stripped of their status, Agent Existance." Deed rolled her eyes, sipping a mug of coffee as she looked at Agent Nessie.

Then she got an idea. Slamming closed the laptop, Deed tore down to the medical bay.

"Dib! Zim!" She paused to breathe, looking at the two as Zim moved back a foot. Dib was red, sweating. "What if we can get the Tallests with this thing?"

Dib blinked blearily at her, and Zim seemed interested.

"Sounds like a plan." Zim grinned, and Deed smiled as she ran out of the room.

"I'll get started on it now!"

* * *

Agent Nessie growled, looking down to the corpse of Darian. This was what they needed, wasn't it? The Membrane children dead? He sighed, knowing that the knowledge the man had held had been valuble.

But all the same, he was dead.

* * *

"Ok, let's see..." Scratching the back of her hand and looking at the computer, she raised a hesitant eyebrow. "Research first... tempting Irken technology later... Much later..."

She mummered, walking out of the room stiffly. God how she hated books.


	9. Chapter 9

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Eight

"Mind explaining something to me?" Deed asked as Zim walked into the living room. She was perched on the arm of the couch, nose burried in a book as GIR watched the Scary Monkey Show.

"What?" Zim asked, eyeing the oblivious robot for a moment before turning his attention to Deed.

"What do you plan on doing to my brother?" Deed didn't even turn to look at him. Zim stared at her back, wondering if this were a trap or not.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, should I be getting ready for any little neices or nephews any time soon?" Deed growled, turning to look at him. Zim ran a hand over his antennae as he looked away from her.

"Don't tell me it's not possible, Zim. Dib and I are living proof that it doesn't matter what you are."

"I know. It's just that it's up to Dib. I've been around long enough to know that smeets are a handfull, and require alot of attention. Also, we're not entirely sure how we're going to go about it." Deed rolled her eyes, placing her book down.

"You make an artificial egg." She said, staring at him. "You do know how babies are made, right?"

"No, I actually think I skipped class that day." Zim rolled his eyes. "Do you think I'm a complete idiot?"

"You really want me to answer that?"

"...No." Picking the book back up, Deed waved him off.

"Go find out how to make an egg or something. Can't you see I'm trying to work?" Zim turned to leave, and Deed remembered something.

"Zim?" He turned his head in her direction as she leaned back over the arm of the couch. "How's Dib?"

"His fever's broke. Now he's sleeping."

"Good."

* * *

"Darian, answer the God damned phone!" Deed growled, staring at the clock on the wall. He should have been home from work by now.

"Hello?" Deed took in a breath. Not the person she was wanting, but it would do.

"Hey Issa!" The little voice on the other end giggled.

"Deed! Daddy's not home!" Deed nodded, smiling to herself. Issa was, in all matter, Darian's daughter. The woman shuddered slightly at the thought of leaving the girl alone with his sister. The was not one of her top choices of baby sitters.

"Issa, when he gets home, tell him to call me?"

"Of course!" Nodding to herself, Deed thought to finish up the call.

"I'll talk to you later, baby. Love you."

"Love you too!" The little voice chimed back. Deed smiled and snapped her phone shut.

What happens if she's too late, and Darian's already dead at work? She tried to shake the thought from her head. After all, she had work to do.

* * *

Deed found Dib seated infront of the computer, laptop hooked up and running through different variations of viruses.

"Didn't think I'd see you up so soon." She said, smiling. Dib nodded, looking at her.

"You know me, I can't stay down for too long." With a small giggled, she leaned over her brother's back.

"But that was because most of the time you were in the hospital." Dib turned and looked at her.

"You think it had something to do with Zim?" Deed shook her head, laughing silently. Dib turned back to his work. "So you come up with any ideas yet?"

"No, we'll need a test subject first. I was thinking we could use some cell samples to find out what happens..." Dib's eyes got big as he trailed off. "That's it!"

Deed looked at him, confused. "What's it?"

"We can create something that causes the cells to break down... dissolve, even. If we can get it to work fast enough, then we might just be able to kill them before this has a chance to spread!" Dib exclaimed, and Deed raised an eyebrow.

"I thought killing everyone was the point. It's not like we're humans, we have no reason to be concerned with what happens to them." Deed said, pulling away from her brother. Dib turned to look at her.

"We're going to, but I was thinking more along the lines of blowing this place up." Dib said blankly. Deed swallowed.

Blowing the planet up would mean blowing up their mother's remains.

"Go ahead an start on the virus. I need to try and get ahold of someone." Deed said, stumbling out of the lab. Dib shrugged, going back to the computer.

Of course, he _was_ too young to remember their mother. He'd always been to young for anything.

Taking a shakey breath, Deed braced herself against the wall of the elevator. 'If she was still alive, what would she say to this?'

"Heh, if she were still alive, then Dib and I would have a lot less scars. Emotional and physical." She whispered, reaching up to run her hand through her hair. There had been a time when it stuck up similar to Dib's. No matter how long it grew, there was always that same scythe-like lock that she could not get to go down.

Chopping it off had solved that problem. Her brother, however, had managed to find a way to get his to hang down over his face.

"If she were still alive, than... maybe our lives could have been normal."


	10. Chapter 10

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Nine

A week had gone by. The armada were on their way to Earth with some 'coaxing' from Zim, and the Swollen Eyeball were still trying to lock onto their location.

Correction, her location.

Deed growled as she watched the news. The body of Darian Thebes had been discovered at his office. A fucking week it had taken them to find him!

She felt a pang at the loss of her friend, but knew it didn't matter now.

* * *

"Zim, can I talk to you?" She asked, walking into the lab. Her eyes widened as she realized it was just her brother down there.

"What do you need Zim for?" Dib asked, watching the results of the test. Deed looking at the rapidly deforming particles and shook her head.

"We need to break a ship out of area 51." Dib looked at her with interest. "They actually had a ship?"

"Of course. You expect-- Nevermind." Deed said, pressing her lips togather. Dib stared at her.

"Deed."

"No! I'm not supposed to tell you this!"

"Deed."

"I hate you!"

"Deed."

"Fine!" She growled, crossing her arms over her chest. "The Roswell crash was real. They found the remains of four aliens. As well as a ship."

"What kind of aliens?" Dib asked, remembering back to Deed's first day back, how she'd freaked out about the Irken flag.

"Irkens. Their paks had been severed from their bodies and they all died. The ship's in pretty good condition, though. It's probably bigger that the Voot and Tak's old ship." She mummered, and Dib nodded.

"He's up in the attic, working on the Voot." Thanking him, Deed turned and headed out.

* * *

"What the hell?" Deed was met by Zim looking over a few charts. She wasn't entirely sure what they were for.

"What?" Zim asked, looking up at her. Deed shook her head as she saw the word 'pregnancy'.

"Zim, it's not entirely the best idea to get Dib pregnant while we're dealing with a cell eating virus." She said, rolling her eyes. Zim glared at her.

"I was just trying to find out how long the egg should be in him." Zim growled, Deed grinned.

"Well, let's see... I could always go searching through the professor's old files. But then again, we weren't half breeds..." Deed trailed off, blinking repeatedly as a thought struck her. "Aren't there some kind of laws against half breeds?"

Zim blinked at her, nodding slowly. "Yes. But if we're going to kill the Tallests, then I can take their place. It'll take some time, but I can make it so that half breeds are legal."

"Sounds like a plan." Deed said softly, looking at the Voot.

"You think that thing can hold three beings and a robot for as long as it takes to get to Irk?" She asked. Zim looked at her as she sat down.

"Possibly not. I was planning on dropping you, GIR and Dib off on planet Vort. It's closer, but still a while away." Zim said, and Deed shook her head.

"There's another ship we can use." The alien infront of her scoffed.

"What, Tak's old piece of trash? I don't think so."

"I meant the ship that crashed here in the 1940s. It was an Irken ship. That's how I knew what you were." Zim looked at her, slightly shocked. Deed sighed. "It was carrying four passengers. I think maybe we could nab it and fix it up before the armada gets here."

"Where is this ship?"

"Area 51. It's in Nevada." Zim sighed, rubbing his temples.

"See if Dib wants to come along."


	11. Chapter 11

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Ten

On the Voot, Nevada was only a twenty minute ride. Deed sat back and watched carefully for the base as they passed over the area.

"There!" She pointed down to an old building, and the Voot lowered down to it. Dib looked at it with a raised eyebrow.

They had left GIR home, telling him to stay infront of the tv and not to answer the door. They only hoped that the robot could remember the orders long enough to follow them.

Area 51 was only a large, abandoned warehouse. The goverment had seemingly forgotten about it when the Swollen Eyeball Network had arisen.

Noone could really blame them.

But the ship wasn't the hard to find. It was hidden in one corner, surrounded by other things. It was large ship, oval in shape, painted an old red and emblasoned with an Irken military symbol.

As soon as Zim layed an hand on it, alarms went off.

A mechanical hand shot out, grabbing Zim up by his pak. The sound of the few people still in the warehouse running towards them caused Dib to start to panic.

"Dib, is Zim alright?" Deed's voice cackled over the earpiece. Dib swallowed. "I'm not sure."

"Get the ship out of there. Get Zim and get out of there! Now!" Forcing himself to calm down, Dib looked up at Zim in time to see him fall to the ground. His pak still hung in the grip of the mechanical arm.

Trying not to scream, Dib rushed forward and picked Zim up. He glanced at the pak as Zim winced.

"Hold on." Grabbing the pak from the arm's grip and opening the door to the ship, Dib ran into it and headed for the controls. Starting it up wasn't hard. The goverment had restored most of it. But many of the controls were outdated, and hard to read.

Taking a guess that it operated the same as Tak's ship and the Voot, Dib lifted the ship up and through the ceiling.

He looked down to see guns pointed up at them, and someone yelling at the officers holding the weapons not to shoot in danger of damaging the artifact.

Then he looked to Zim and saw the bloody hole in his back where the pak had been ripped from.

"Deed, we have a bit of a problem here."

* * *

Anyother Irken would have died from the situation. The stubborn, arrogant, defective one in his arms, however, was an exception. Dib tried to calm his breathing as Zim opened an eye. 

"I thought I'd lost you." Dib croaked, leaning into the gloved hand that wiped the water from his eyes. Zim laughed weakly.

"I'm not that easy to get rid of." He mummered, closing his eyes and tucking his head under Dib's chin. Dib smiled softly.

"So your alright without the pak?" Dib asked quietly, and Zim hummed in agreement.

"Apparently I've adapted enough to not need it. Seems to make sense that one they titled the ultimate defect would be the one that could go without their life-support." Zim laughed softly, and Dib held him a bit tighter. Zim decided that this was as good a time as any to bring up what he'd been planning.

"Dib?" He heard the boy hum softly, and smiled. "When you said that you'd take the chance to have a family with me, you ment it, right?"

Dib blinked, nodding and waiting for the alien to continue. "I've found a way."

"This is great!" Dib grinned at him as he pulled away slightly. "But we'll have to wait until after we've gotten rid of the Swollen Eyeball and the armada."

"Of course."

* * *

Deed had gone to working on the ship after she'd bandaged Zim's wound. She sighed as she thought back to the way the Irkens had died. 

"They must have suffered alot before they finally passed." She whispered, looking over the controls. GIR was hooked up to the ship's mainframe, translating it for her.

Standing and figuring it best to explore the ship, she headed first into what looked like a chambers corridor. Checking the rooms, she smiled. There were four, but she figured that at most only three would be used. GIR, after all, could bunk with almost anyone.

"We may need to move a tv into one. Somehow I doubt GIR's going to be very co-operative without his tv show..." Deed trailed off. She was going to miss brainfreezies.

Walking out of the corridor, she found a door that lead to a computer room. Then what looked like a kitchen. A medical bay. And finally an empty area that she had no idea what was for.

"Zim might be able to move the lab into here." She said, examining the size of the room. It was large enough for atleast three voots to be carried in.

Then she noticed the lines on the floor, making it look like it could fold out.

"Maybe this _is_ for Voots. Tak's ship could even fit in here..."


	12. Chapter 12

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Note: Deed wants to blow up the planet because... well, she'd just morbid like that. However, she is starting to change her mind... a little. And Dib's finally given up all hope on humanity...

Chapter Eleven

"Finally." Gaz growled, looking at the dark figure on the screen of the computer.

"I told we don't have time for petty leads--"

"They're with the alien." Gaz snapped, cutting off Agent Darkbootie. This was the fourth week of trying to get ahold of them. She wasn't exactly in the best of moods.

"The Zim character the Agent Mothman was always going on about? You know where he lives?"

"You know where Mothman lives?" Gaz asked in turn. Darkbootiestared at her. "Yes."

"Just down the road. It's hard to miss."

* * *

The Irken Armada was entering Earth's gravitational field just as the Swollen Eyeball found their base. 

Dib grinned as he noticed how perfect it had been timed out. Zim was on his feet an walking within three days, something about advanced alien healing. Deed and GIR had gotten the ship into perfect condition, and Tak's ship and the Voot were both packed away in it.

Deed had offered to be the one to get the Swollen Eyeball into the Irken ship and and free the virus into their air. Of course, she knew she wouldn't come out of it completely unscathed.

By the time the Swollen Eyeball had followed her into the snack hold, the Tallest had started to fend her off. Darkbootie glared at her as she looked between the two of the forces.

"You're about to make a huge mistake." She mumbled, giving a small, crazy smile. The Tallests came towards her, and she clucked her tougne.

"Oh well...Syanora, idiots." She released the virus in the form of a smoke bomb, got her skinny little ass off the ship, and sealed the door behind her.

The neighborhood had seen the ship, and Dib was cursing them for not even caring. Not that it would matter after long.

Their small ship tore out of the atmosphere before the rest the armada even knew what was going on.

"I told you not to go in there." Dib growled, wincing at the site of the rash that had spread over parts of his sister's flesh. She laughed, smiling up at him painfully.

"You did make a cure, right?" She asked, barely above a whisper. Dib shook his head. "I'm sorry. But it doesn't look like you've got the brunt of it. Let me run a few tests..."

Deed groaned and lay out on one of the tables in the medical bay.

* * *

"How is she?" Zim asked, and Dib sighed. 

"She's got an isolated case. It's in no danger of spreading to us. However... she's going to die eventually. Our genes should put it off for a while, but she won't live forever." Dib removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. "So, what about this whole 'family' thing?"

Zim shoved his hands in his pockets, looking at the diagnostics infront of Dib. "Are you sure we should do this now?"

"We could wait for a few hours, see if Deed's rash is going to heal any." Dib suggested, turning back to the window that showed his sister. He blinked as he realised she was sitting up.

"How am I?" She called, looking at her hands. Dib sighed, switching on the intercom.

"Your fine for now." Dib said, and Deed sighed in relief.

"Let's check and make sure that everything's fine with the ship before you two start getting any ideas." Deed said, standing on two wobbly feet and leaving the room.

They had a course set to Irk. The ship was on autopilot. And Earth was currently just a ball behind them.

Deed made a mental note that she was right about the bedrooms. Three had been used. One for Zim, one for Dib, and one for her and GIR.

They had a tv set up, and GIR was found watching the Scary Monkey show. According to the smell of something burning, the robot had also decided to try making taquitos.

The trio rolled their eyes as they saw the burnt remains, and then the food processor.

Sitting at the counter while Deed set to trying to get the thing to work, Dib looked at Zim.

"So are we just going to stay on Irk or what?" He asked, and Zim looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

"I was thinking we could go to Vort. You'd love the technology they have there." Dib raised an eyebrow.

"But I thought you were going to become a Tallest."

"I am, but all I need to do is set the rules and leave someone to watch over everything. I was thinking maybe Tak." Zim said, watching for Dib and Deed's reactions.

Deed started giggling, while Dib smiled at him.

"So what'll happen to Earth?" Deed asked, looking at what she had managed to make. It was some sort of pizza, but... oh well.

"Probably mauled down into a parking lot planet or something..." Zim muttered, and Dib looked at him.

"It's a beautiful planet. All we have to do is get rid of the humans and de-pollute the resources." Dib said. Deed nodded, turning to trying to get some decent coffee.

"It really would be a shame if we had to destroy it without even seeing Count Dracula's castle in Romania." Deed added, pouting at the sudden thought. She couldn't really see the place destroyed.

"I suppose..." Zim said, sighing. "If you give me some coffee."

Dib grinned, and Deed laughed.

"How do you want it?" Deed asked, tasting what she had managed.

"Black." Zim said, watching her movements.

"Good choice." Deed said, setting a fresh mug infront of him.


	13. Chapter 13

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Twelve

Deed was sitting in her and GIR's room, watching tv. She had talked the robot into watching something else, and had found a movie.

She could almost hear what was going on in the room next to theirs, and it took all she had not to go interupt.

'Why does the thought of my brother having sex bother me so much?' She thought, looking down at her lap.

'Is it because it's not just sex, he's also getting pregnant?' She turned her attention to the movie, sighing as she realised it was Instestines of War.

'I'm not worried about this, am I? I mean, so what? I'm going to be an aunt. But... what if something goes wrong?' She hugged her pillow a bit tighter, ignoring the rash on her skin.

'Nothing should go wrong... Right?' Deed looked at GIR. Zim was his parental figure, so obviously the alien had some experiance on how to be a parent. But did Dib?

'Stop it, dammit! They want this, so it's what they're going to do!'

'After all, we've already been through so much! They deserve some happiness!'

'But still... I wonder if it'll be in him long enough to show.'

* * *

Dib looked at his sister as he sat down in the kitchen. Deed raised an eyebrow. 

"So what's up?" She asked, and Dib leaned onto the counter.

"Was there anyone back on Earth that you really loved?" Dib asked, and Deed looked at him.

"Yeah, mom."

"Besides mom. Deed, if there was anyone--"

"Don't bother with false promises. Dib, the one I love is already dead." Dib stared at her.

"Who? Was he with the Swollen Eyeball?" Deed sighed, hugging herself tightly as she looked at the wall infront of her.

"He used to be. They killed him before we started on the virus. His name was Darian Thebes." She sucked in a breath, closing her eyes.

Dib stared at her as he remembered hearing about it on the news. It had taken them a week to find the body.

"He had a daughter, and lived with his sister. I met him in highschool. He was what got me out of the asylum and into college."

"Deed..."

"He wasn't very trustworthy, I mean he cheated on me got Issa as a result. But still..."

"Deed..."

"He was still in the Network. So I had himdoing research for me. That's how I found out about Membrane..."

"Deed... I'm sorry." Dib said, watching as his sister started to cry. He got up and walked around the counter, wrapping an arm around her. Deed sobbed into his shoulder.

When she stopped, she pulled away from him.

"So what are you going to name this kid?" Dib looked down at her.

"We haven't considered that yet. Right now it's more important--"

"That the baby's born alright. I know." Deed smiled softly, brushing her tears away stubbornly.

Dib smiled down at her.

"It'll only be a week. If you want, you can go ahead and start looking at names."


	14. Chapter 14

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Thirteen

The week had already passed. Dib started having stomach aches more often. Deed was upset that she wasn't able to pick on her brother for showing.

The egg needed to be removed by cesarean section. Or, in other words, a small incession over where the egg lay in Dib's abdoman.

Dib was holding converation with Deed and Zim the whole time.

"You know, I think I remember the day you were born." Deed said, watching as Zim moved the large, artificial egg into an incubator. Over the next few hours it would grow and break when the child was big enough.

"So what happened?" Dib asked, looking at her. Deed laughed.

"You were in a test tube for a week. I remember wandering into the lab and asking mom what you were." Dib shook his head.

Zim watched the two, wondering if it was good time to raise a question.

"You've got something on your mind." Dib said, looking at Zim. He blushed purple, looking away.

"Well.. I was wondering what religion you two were." Deed and Dib looked at each other, blinking.

"Uh, I'm atheist. But Deed's wiccan." Dib said, looking at Zim.

"Why, are you think of introducing religion to Irkens?" Deed asked, watching him.

"Yeah, thinking about it." Deed's eyes lit up.

"Oh! Well in that case!" She smiled widely, and started listing off religions.

Dib sighed, reminding himself not to say anything else about the matter.

* * *

The baby had been a boy.

Deed had taken the liberty of naming him, seeing as how Dib and Zim were both reeling from her explaination of religions.

So was the birth of Core.

He was a normal looking kid, no sign of green skin or antennae. He even had ears.

But his eyes were a ruby red where they should have been Dib's hazel.

GIR had taken quickly, loving babies as he did.

And Dib started to freak out as he realised there was a law against half breeds.

And Deed and Zim had to calm him down. It was followed by three pots of coffee and considering another child.

They still had five and a half months till they got to Irk.

Deed made a silent prayer that they would survive the rest of the time.

Zim had pitched his idea of dropping them off on Vort.

Dib had turned it down, telling him that they needed to stay togather.

Watching the two, Deed decided on something.

"Hey, Dib... how about I give Zim a taste of Wiccan religion?" Dib blinked, raising an eyebrow.

"Elaborate."

"I was thinking a wedding." Deed said, and laughed as Dib's eyebrows shot up. "Of course, I'd need a priest for that... I suppose GIR could substitute, though. Or we could just do one without either."

"Let me guess, you brought you're bottemless trunk along?" Dib asked, and Deed gave him a deadpanned look.

"It's not bottemless. But yes, I did."

"Sis, I'm atheist. Meaning, I technically do not need a wedding." Deed stared at him.

"Actually, your a Rationalist." Dib rolled his eyes, looking back to GIR and Core.


	15. Chapter 15

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Chapter Fourteen

A little more than five months later, Core was walking and starting to talk. Deed was shocked at how fast the boy had grown.

Dib watched as he learned how to use one of the computers. So far he had found out so much about his son;

He had his father's eyes and was left handed.

But Core was taking quickly to the computer. And to reading Irken.

Dib sighed, considering living on Vort. He knew it was one of the most advanced technological planets in the known universe, but..

It wouldn't feel like home.

Deed was right when she said that it would be strange to leave Earth. They had left alot behind. But they had also gained alot since they left. And right now he was trying to figure out how much more they would gain.

Zim had already started talking to the ControlBrains.

And Deed's condition was starting to get slightly worse.

Core was starting to ask questions.

And Dib just couldn't wait for it to be over.

* * *

The newest Tallest Zim had indeed put Tak in charge as soon as he said that all the planets would be freed and that halfbreeds would be legal. 

Paks would also be discontinued.

And Earth had been resorted to Escapia.

And the Irkens were having a bit of trouble with it.

But they'd learn... eventually.

777 hadfound Zim a rather normal place on Vort. There was anew school nearby and plenty of neighbors.

It was the perfect place to raise Core in.

Zim and Dib were discussing another child, and Deed's condition was tettering between good and bad.

Zim was a universal hero, no longer considered a defect.

And Dibwas no longer anoutcast.

GIR was even getting upgrades every month.

* * *

"So, what exactly are we going to do with another child?" Dib asked, looking at Zim as he tried to get the plumbing of the new house to work. Leave it to 777 to give them something in less than alright shape. 

"Well... it would give Core something to do. And your sister has been bitching about wanting a neice before she dies." Zim countered, not looking at him as he messed with the tubes under the kitchen sink. "Try it now."

Dib got up, reaching over and twisting the knob on the sink. Goo ran out of the nozzel, but it looked pretty normal compared to the rest of the goo on the planet.

Zim sputtered under the sink, sitting up to prove that he'd been drenched. Dib laughed as he turned it off.

"Would us having a girl be that bad?" Dib asked, watching as the alien went back under the sink. "Other than the fact that she might now grow to be half our size, no."

Dib watched him, wondering faintly what was the problem with Irken females... "Hadn't the first Tallest been female?"

"Tallest Miyuki was no taller than your sister. This was all back when the men of our race were still small, and females were more common." Dib nodded his head, looking at his partner as the man sat up and stared down at his clothing. "Dammit."

Zim stood, pulling his shirt off and glaring at the sink. Dib smirked at his information on Tallest Miyuki. "Of course, you would probably know that."

Zim stared at him, raising an eye ridge and an antenna. "Youwere responsible for the downfall of four Tallests."

"You want to keep your repoductive organs?" Zim asked, glaring at him. Dib smiled, holding back a laugh.

"Would it even be possible for us to have a daughter?" Dib asked, following him out of the kitchen and into their bedroom. He was thankful that Deed had taken Core out to meet their new neighbors. Dib blinked as he walked into their dark room, looking around for Zim.

"We'll have to find out, won't we?" Zim asked, closing the door and trapping them both in darkness. Dib smirked.

"I suppose we will."


	16. Chapter 16

Family

I don't own Invader Zim. I leave the disturbed 'leftovers' of this show to their rightful owner, Jhonen Vasquez.

Only Deed Membrane belongs to me, as well as any future... smeets...

Epilogue

_...I believe that sometime after that you were born, Via. You probably have no idea how terrified we were the day you were born. You were so small, barely any bigger than my thumb. But you managed to pull through._

_I want you two to know that everything is fine. It was my duty to tell you these things when you turned fourteen, so I suppose today would be November 19th... it's strange to think that thirteen years from the time I write this letter, I could be long gone. Never get to see you two really grow up. I love you both, you and Dib and Zim are all I have..._

_Via, even watching you as you sleep right now, I know that you'll be as hot-headed as Zim... but that also means that you'll be as sensitive. I pray that, should anyone ever break your heart, I can still be there to kick their ass. _

_And Core... you are the most stubborn child I have ever met... and seeing as how I raised Dib, that's saying alot. Just, keep in mind that sometimes you may have to heed to the marks of someone else's pencil. And watch out for your sister. I know it's going to be hard for her._

_I love you both, and I pray that this finds you well._

_Watching you forever and always, _

_Aunt Deed_

Via stared, slack jawed as she forgot her and Core's previous arguement. Pulling Dib's trench tighter around her body, she looked up at her brother.

"Any chance they planned this?" She choked out, and Core shook his head. They both knew better than that.

Deed had passed away when Via was four, her genetic makeup breaking apart as she suffered the consequences of their bio-war with the humans.

Leaning into her brother's side and choking softly, Via closed her eyes as Core read it once more.

There were tear stains on the paper, no doubt their aunt's. She had been watching Via sleep when she wrote that?

Core released a shaky breath. So there had been a reason for their parents to ask them to clean out the attic on Via's birthday.

Swallowing roughly and looking down at his sister, Core pulled up the loose floorboard that Via had tripped over.

Slipping the lengthy letter back into the confines of the dark wood, Core hugged his baby sister to his chest as tight as he dared.


End file.
